Daddy!
by orangepencils
Summary: Sophie has something to tell Howl, but she doesn't know how. Howl is determined to find out what she has to tell him and he'll try anything.


Daddy

**Daddy?!**

**Tee hee! Hello! Well this is my second HMC fic. As you might have noticed, I'm totally head over heels with the movie. I watched it twice in the space of a few days. So here's my second story. It's a one-shot and I hope you enjoy!**

**Summary: Sophie has something to tell Howl, but she doesn't know how. Howl is determined to find out what she has to tell him, and he'll try anything. Humor, Romance. HxS**

**Disclaimer: I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.**

**Edited: September 27****th**** 2008**

**162**

Daddy?!

What started off as a normal day clearly turned out as anything but normal. When Howl woke up that morning, he noticed that Sophie was nowhere to be seen. The couple had known each other for the past four years and they had been married for three. Normally, Howl would wake up to find Sophie deep in sleep snuggled up next to him. Except this time he woke up after her and she wasn't in the room. Howl got up and put on some clothes for the day. Once he was certain that he didn't look too bad, he left their room and headed for the main floor. Maybe she was making breakfast.

"Master Howl, Master Howl!" The moment he was downstairs, Markl ran up to him panic stricken. That couldn't be a good thing.

"What's wrong?" He asked scanning the room for any sign of Sophie.

"It's Sophie! I can't find her anywhere! Is she still upstairs?" Howl's eyes widened. If he hadn't seen Sophie, then where was she?

"No she isn't upstairs and what exactly do you mean by you can't find her anywhere?"

"That's very simple Howl. What Markl is trying to say is that we haven't seen Sophie since last night." Calcifer replied from his spot in the hearth.

"I thought you were always awake!" Howl glared at the fire demon and had he been human, his sweat would have dropped and his heart would have skipped a beat.

"Hey, I need to restore my strength as well you know. How do you expect me to run things in here if I don't get at least one night's sleep every three months?" He replied taking a log and eating it up.

"Do you mean to say that yesterday, last night, was that three months?" He asked his mood darkening with every passing second.

"Yup that's right." Calcifer said calmly. Howl let out a battle cry and ran towards the fire and took a bucket of water on his way there. Just as he was about to tip over the water, the door opened and Sophie walked in with a basket in hand.

"Sophie! Thank goodness you're here! Please get your deranged husband who's threatening to spill water on me away!" Calcifer shouted backing away as far as possible from Howl. Sophie dropped her basket and ran to the scene.

"Howl, for heaven's sake, what are you doing?" The moment he realized that Sophie was safe and sound and in the castle, he dropped the bucket of water and nearly smothered her into a hug.

"Sophie, where the hell were you?" He asked looking straight into her eyes. The young woman shifted uncomfortably. She looked towards the floor before looking back to her husband.

"I went to the market and then I went to see my sister at the bakery store. Sorry if I worried you." She told him trying to act as casual as possible.

"And these errands couldn't wait until later on could they?" He asked her eyeing her suspiciously.

"No they couldn't." She told him. Somehow, no one in the room was convinced. Howl sighed. He knew that his wife was bluffing. Now he had to find a way to get the truth out of her.

"Alright, Sophie would you care to join me for a stroll through the park?" The wizard knew that she would cooperate a bit more if there weren't as many people around. A trick the married life had taught him.

"Sure." She said. Breakfast was forgotten for the time being and the two of them left for Howl's and Sophie's special place; the flower garden. The weather was pleasant over there and there was a soft breeze that made things comfortable. Howl sat down on a flat rock and he patted the spot next to him motioning for her to sit down next to him. She took the seat and they stayed like that in silence for a while before Howl finally spoke.

"What's wrong, love?" The question was so simple, yet it threw everything off for her. Howl could sense her discomfort and he knew that she wouldn't be able to hide it from him for a long period of time.

"It's nothing, Howl. I don't know what made you think that something was wrong." Sophie was trying to keep the truth hidden for as long as possible. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell him the news; she just didn't know how to tell him. She couldn't just go up to him and tell him: "Hey Howl, guess what!" it wouldn't work.

"Really, then why are you so tense?" In one swift move he had his hands on her shoulders and he was massaging her tensed up upper body.

"You're imagining things. Howl, really I'm fine." Sophie knew that she would have to tell him sooner or later. And it wasn't as thought it was bad news.

"Come on Sophie, you know you can tell me anything. Keeping this to yourself won't make things easier." Sophie cursed his persuasive skills. His charm was sometimes more of a curse than a gift.

"At least I know you'll make a good father." She said in a low whisper. Even though Howl wasn't supposed to hear that right now, he heard every word of it.

"What do you mean father?" The father to be asked, uncertain of how to react.

"You heard right Howl, I'm pregnant. We're expecting a baby." Sophie stopped playing with the hem of her apron and looked up in his deep cerulean eyes.

"Well this is excellent news Sophie! Why didn't you say so earlier?" He had a bright genuine smile on. Sophie could breathe easier knowing that he was looking forward to fatherhood.

"I know you'll make a good father." She told him with a smile. Somehow the second time that she said "you" and "father" in the same sentence made him realize the situation in its entirety.

"Fa, father? As in daddy?" He said suddenly loosing all confidence he had before.

"No as in mommy, of course as in daddy, silly." She told him smacking him playfully.

"I can't be a father! I don't know anything about kids! I'll do a horrible job! I, I…" Sophie sighed. Somehow she knew that he would act like this.

"As if I know anything about children. We're both in this together and it'll be a learning experience for the both of us. We're already parents to Markl. The only difference will be that this child will be younger."

"But what if it doesn't like me? What if I drop it?" Howl sounded more like a child than a father to be.

"Don't worry Howl. Your father instincts will kick in and you'll do a great job. If I could fall in love with you than this child will as well." Sophie leaned her head on his shoulder and he seemed to relax. He slipped an arm around her waist and rested his hand on her still flat stomach.

"So I'll be a daddy huh?" He said with a smile blooming on his face.

"The best one around." She told him putting her hand on top of his.

"And you'll be the greatest mom this child could ever have." Sophie's smile grew wider and she kissed him on the cheek.

"Come on, let's go back home so Markl and Calcifer don't go ballistic." Howl nodded and he helped her up. They walked back to the door together hand in hand. When they entered the castle again, Markl came running to the door.

"Master Howl, Master Howl is everything alright? Are you okay Sophie?" Sophie nodded while Howl smiled widely.

"Just call me daddy from now on. Daddy, I like the sound of that."

**THE END**

**Haha that was fun to write. Well tell me what you think once decides to work properly again. Read and review. And here's to 2007! I really like the last line. Heh, makes me laugh.**

**Op**


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